Optical projection cabinet



Jam 22 1935- H. H. v. STANLEY 1,988,522

OPIkICAL PROJECTION CABINET Filed Feb. l0, 1952 /176 ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 22, 1935 OPTICAL PROJECTION CABINET i Harold Herbert AVernon Stanley, Hayes, England,

asslgnor to The Gramophone Company Lim- `Aited, Hayes, England, ua company of Great lBritain Application richiami' 1o, i932, serial No. 592,135

- In Great Britain November 6, 1931 f 15 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in optical projection cabinets and the principal object of the invention is to provide a compact cabinet housing both -a projector and a screen, the arrangement being such that when the lid or other member and adapted, when in use, to support the screen in a desired position spaced from the movable member.

In the arrangement at present preferred, there is provided, within the cabinet, a spring roller on which a :fabric screen iswound when not in use, the other end of the screen being connected with the support which is itself movable relatively to the lid of the cabinet, the arrangement being such that as the lid is opened, the screen support is raised and the screenl unrolled and drawn upwardly into a substantially vertical position for use. Means. are provided to hold the support in the desired direction relative to the lid when the latter is raised, so that the screen is maintained taut.

The invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a cabinet in the open position,

Fig. 2 is a side sectional elevation also showing the cabinet open, i

lFig. 3 is a side sectional elevation of a portion of the cabinet showing the cabinet closed, and

Fig. 4 is a detailed perspective View showing the cabinet with side curtains applied thereto.

Referring to the drawing, a cabinet .l of substantially rectangular parallelopiped form is divided into two compartments by a horizontal partition 2. In the upperv compartment 3 is housed the picture projector 4 shown diagrammatically and arranged to project the Ypictures towards-the front of the cabinet where a mirror 5 is carried in an inclined position on a bracket 6 to ref-lect the projected light upwardly and rearwardly at an appropriate angle'.

A lid 7 is hinged to the upper rear edge of the cabinet as shown at 8 and a lid support 9 of any well known form is provided to support the lid 7 in a raised position where it lies at a prede- (ci. sis-a4) termined angle (say to the horizontal (see Fig. 2) On the underside of the lid 7 is mounted a second mirror 10, preferably of larger size than the mirror 5, the mirror v10 being carried on brackets l1 fixed to the underside of the lid 7. At the front edge of the lid 7 is hingedly mounted a flap l2, the width of which is approximately equal to that of a projection screen 13 mounted in a manner hereinafter described. The ap 12, when the lid 7 is closed, lies within and closes a cut-away part 14 of the front wall of the cabinet, and a handle 15 is provided on the flap 12 to facilitate movement thereof together with the lid 7 into the raised position. Locking stays V1G of any well known kind are provided to hold the flap 12 in a desired position with regard to the lid 12 when in the operative position, while the free edge of the flap l2 is provided with a llet 17 which, in the closed position, engages in a groove 17a inthe lower edge of cut-away 14 to maintain the flap 12 in its closed position. l

Behind the cut-away opening 14 and above the first-mentioned mirror 5, there is mounted a spring roller 18 of the kind, for example, used with roller blinds, the roller 18 being so arranged that it tends, at all times, to rotate in a direction to roll up the screen 13 under the 4pull of its spring. The roher 18 lies horizontally across the cabinet and one endof the screen 13, which may be of silk or other fabric, is connected with the roller, while the other end of the screen is connected near 'the free edge of the hinged flap 12. l

When not in use, the lid 7 is closed and the flap 12 occupies a position where it fills the cutaway part or opening 14in the front wall of the cabinet, being held there by engagement of the fillet 17 on its edge in the groove 17a. in the lower edge of the cut-away 14. In this position, the greater part of the screen 13 is rolled up on the roller 18, a short unrolled section, however, .extending from the roller 18 down to the lower, inside edge of the flap 12 (see Fig. 3).

When the apparatus is to be used, the lid 7 may be raised until it reaches its full open position, whereupon the flap 12 may be moved into .a substantially horizontal position with its free edge 17 substantially vertically over the spring roller 18, as shown in Fig. 2. The ap 12 is then held in this position by the stays 16. As these opening movements are effected, the screen 13 is unrolled from roller 18 and lifted into the vertical position shown. By movements the reverse of those described above, the' screen 13 is rolled up Qn the roller 18 and the cabinet closed.

In the construction described, light from the picture projector 4 is reilected by the mirror 5 within the cabinet onto the mirror 10, whence it A is reflected forwardly onto the vertically disposed screen 13. Thus, a desirable long optical path and large picture are obtained. It will, however, be understood that any other convenient arrangement may bc employed to obtain a long optical path. Y

If desired. side curtains 20, of which only one is shown in Fig. 4, may be provided to prevent an .observer from directly viewing the mirror 10 from the side. Such curtains would be formed of dark. opaque fabric secured, for example, to the underside of the lid 7 at each side of the mirror 10, fastenings 21 being provided to connect these side curtains with the ends of flap 12 so that in use, the curtains close the space between screen 13 and lid 7. When the cabinet is closed, the side curtains hang loosely from the lid 7 inside the cabinet.

The compartment below the horizontal partition 2 may be employed to house an electrical amplifier and loud speaker of ordinary form indicated diagrammatically at 19 for the reproduction of sounds accompanying the picture display.

While I -have shown my invention as applied to a substantially rectangular cabinet, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the shape or form of the cabinet is immaterial and that the invention may be applied successfully to a cabinet oi' any desired form. Furthermore, although I have shown and described a certain specific embodiment of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A picture projection cabinet for` housing moving picture projecting apparatus and com,

prising a base, a lid hinged to said base, and an extensible picture screen having operative connection with said base and said lid, said screen being housed in inoperative position entirely Within said cabinet when said lid is in closed position and being placed in operative position for the interception of picture images When said lid is raised to open position. I

2. A picture projection cabinet for housing moving picture projecting apparatus and comprising a base, a lid hinged to said base, a screen support connected to said lid, a second support in said base, and a picture screen having one end thereof connected to said first support and its other end connected to said second support, said second support having means associated therewith tending to cause said screen to assume a position within said cabinet.

3` A picture projection cabinet for lhousing moving picture projecting apparatus and cornprising a base, a lid hinged to said base, a screen support pivoted to said lid. a spring roller in said base, and a picture screen having one end thereof connected to said support and the other end thereof connected to said roller, the spring in said roller tending to cause said screen to roll up on said roller within said cabinet.

4. A picture projectioncabinet for housing moving picture projecting apparatusand comprising a base, a lid hinged to, said base, a screen support pivoted to said lid, a spring roller in said base, and a picture screen having one end thereof connected to said support and the other end thereof connected to said roller.

5. A picture projection cabinet comprising a base having a Wall provided with a cut-away portion, a lid hinged to said base, a screen support pivoted to said lid and adapted to t within said cut-away portion when said lid is in closed position, a spring roller in said base, and a picture screen having one end thereof connected to said support and the other end thereof connected to said roller.

6. A picture projection cabinet comprising a base having a wall provided with a cut-away portion, a spring roller mounted in said base adjacent said cut-away portion, a lid hinged to said base, a screen support pivoted to said lid along one edge thereof and having its opposite 'edge free, said support being adapted to fit within and ll the cut-away portion vwhen said lid is in closed position and to occupy a position such that said free edge is in substantially vertical alignment with said roller when said lid is in open position, and a screen connected at one end to said free edge and at its other end to said roller.

7. A picture projection cabinet comprising a base having a wall provided with a cut-away portion, a spring roller mounted in said base djacent said cut-away portion, a lid hinged to said base, a screen sup'port pivoted to said lid along one edge thereof and having its opposite edge free, said support being adaptedto iit within and fill said cut-away portion when said lid is in closed position and to occupy a position such that said free edge is in substantially vertical alignment with said roller when said lid is in open position, means for retaining said support in the latter position when said lid is raised to open position, and a screen connected at one end to said free edge and at its other end to said roller.

8. A picture projection cabinet comprising a base having a,wall provided with a cut-away portion, a spring roller mounted in said base adjacent said cut-away portion, a lid hinged to said base, a screen support pivoted to said lid along one edge thereof and having its opposite edge free, said support being adapted to 'flt within and fill said cut-away portion when said lid is in closed position and to occupy a position such that said free edge is in substantially vertical alignment with said roller when said lid is in open position, a screen connected at one end to said free edge and at its other end to said roller whereby said screen tends to roll up on said roller under the influence of the spring thereof, means for retaining said lid in open position, and means for retaining said support with its free edge in said substantially vertically aligned position as said lid is retained in its open position.

9. In a picture projection cabinet, the combination of a base, a lid hinged to said base, means within said base for projecting picture images, an extensible picture screen having connection with said base and said lid, and means whereby, when said lid is in closed position, said screen is in a position out of the path of the projected picture images, and when said lid is in open position, said screen assumes a position in the path of said projected picture images.

10. In a picture projection cabinet, the combination of a base, a lid hinged to said base, means within said base for projecting picture images, an extensible picture screen having connection with said base and said lid, and means whereby, when said lid is in closed position, said screen is housed -within said cabinet out of theV path of the pro'- jected picture images, and when saidlid is in open position, said screen is in a position to intercept picture images projected from within the cabinet by said projecting means. v

11. In a picture projection cabinet, the combination of a base, a lid hinged to said base, means within said base for projecting picture images, an extensible picture screen having connection with said base and said lid and being normally in a position out of l'the path of the projected picture images, and means whereby, upon movement of said lid from closed to open position, said screen is moved into the path of said projected picture images.

12. In a picture projection cabinet, the combination with a base of alid hinged to said base, means within said base for projecting picture images, a screen support connected to said lid, a spring roller in said base, and a picture screen having one end thereof connected to said support and the other end vthereof connected to said roller whereby, when said lid is in closed position, said screen is rolled up on said roller and is hidden within said base, and when said lid is` raised to open position, said screen is moved to a position outside of said cabinet and into the path of the picture images projected by saidl projecting means. A

13. In a picture projecting cabinet, the combination with a base having a front wall provided with a cut-awayportion of a lid hinged to said base, means within said base for projecting picture images, a screen support pivoted to said lid and adapted, when said lid is in closed position, to fill in said cut-away portion, a spring roller in said cabinet adjacent said cut-away portion, and a picture screen having one end thereof connected to said support and the other end thereof ,connected to said roller whereby,

- when said lid is in closed position, said screen is rolled up on said roller and is hidden within said cabinet behind said support, and when said lid is raised to open position, said screen is moved to a position outside of said cabinet and into the path of the picture images projectedA by sai projecting. means. .y

14. In a picture projecting cabinet, the combination with a'base having a front Wall pronet behind said support, and when said lid is` raised to open position, said screen is moved to a position outside of said cabinet and into the path of the picture images projected by said projecting means, and means for preventing viewing of the projected pictures from the sides of the cabinet when said lid is in raised position.

15. In a picture projection cabinet including a front wall having a cut-away portion and a cover,

a partition within said cabinet dividing said cabinet into a pair of vertically displaced compartments, a picture projecting device located in the rear of theupper of said compartments, a reflector in the front of said upper compartment for reiiecting light from said projecting device toward said cover, a second reflector iixed to the under side ot said cover for reflecting light from said :firstl named revector toward said front wall when said cover is in open position, a ilap pivoted to the lforward edge of said cover and adapted, when said cover is closed, to t into said cut-away portion, a spring roller mounted behind said cutvaway portion and adjacent s aid iront wall, and a screen having one end thereof attached, to said roller and the other end thereof attached to the forward edge of said ap, said screen being adapted to receive an image reilected by said secondnamed reflector when said. cover is in open position.

HAROLD IERBRT VERNON STANLEY. 

